EMMANUEL Latte Lath netted a hat-trick as a clinical Middlesbrough side ruthlessly exposed Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.

Greg Leigh gave United the lead following a corner just after the midway point of the first half, but Boro hit back with four goals in a 12-minute spell.

It began when Latte Lath scored from the penalty spot eight minutes before the break, while Finn Azaz put Boro in front with an arrowed strike five minutes later.

Latte Lath then beat the offside trap to add his second of the afternoon shortly before half-time, and then completed his hat-trick with only four minutes played of the second half.

Dane Scarlett gave the U’s hope of an unlikely comeback when he fired across goal with 72 minutes played, but further quickfire goals from Tommy Conway and Azaz for his brace gave Boro a convincing and thoroughly deserved victory.

Des Buckingham made three changes to the side which was beaten at Watford prior to the international break, as Hidde ter Avest, Cameron Brannagan and Mark Harris came in for Peter Kioso, Josh McEachran and Scarlett respectively.

Brannagan was making his first appearance since mid-September having recovered from a knee injury.

There were no defenders on the bench though, with Peter Kioso yet to train after falling ill while making his international debut for DR Congo, but Matt Phillips and Przemyslaw Placheta were involved in a matchday squad for the first time since August following spells out with injury. Malcolm Ebiowei missed out on the squad.

The first chance of the match came with eight minutes on the clock, when Latte Lath worked himself half a yard inside the penalty box and swivelled before directing a shot at goal which Jamie Cumming was able to pounce on.

At the other end, the returning Brannagan had a go with an audacious 30-yard strike which Sol Brynn pushed out for a corner at his near post.

It was then the turn of Cumming to make a save after Delano Burgzorg raced past Sam Long down the Boro left-hand side and crossed for Latte Lath, who brought a wonderful low stop from Cumming at the near post.

Long then did well to divert a dangerous Ben Doak ball over his own crossbar, while Moore saw a stooping header pawed over by Brynn.

From the resulting corner, United took the lead. Tyler Goodrham swung in the set piece to the back post, where Moore headed back into the centre for Leigh to bury home an effort.

With 10 minutes to go until the break though, the visitors were awarded a penalty when Moore slid in on Doak close to the byline on the wet surface.

The U’s skipper collected a yellow card for the challenge, his fifth of the Championship campaign, therefore ruling him out of Tuesday night’s trip to Sheffield United.

Latte Lath made no mistake from the spot, sending Cumming the wrong way to place his effort into the bottom right corner.

Ruben Rodrigues created a chance for United to move back in front when he slid a delicious pass through for Harris, who looked to poke the ball round Brynn, but the goalkeeper did brilliantly to get a telling touch on it and the opportunity went begging.

Boro ruthlessly went straight up the other end and took the lead with a lovely arrowed strike via Azaz from the edge of the area.

The third goal was added just before three minutes of stoppage time were signalled, as Azaz slid through Latte Lath, who beat the offside trap and poked the ball past Cumming into the corner.

It took just four minutes of the second period for Latte Lath to grab his hat-trick, latching onto an Azaz ball over the top and firing clinically beyond Cumming.

Buckingham made a double switch not long later, introducing Placheta and Scarlett for Moore and Harris respectively, as the U’s switched from a 3-4-2-1 set-up to their familiar 4-3-3.

Boro were close to grabbing a fifth goal of the afternoon when the ball landed for George Edmundson at the back post, but he couldn’t sort his feet out and he was unable to poke in.

Phillips then made his return from injury, replacing Rodrigues with 64 minutes played, a switch which allowed Goodrham to drift inside to a midfield role.

Scarlett pulled one back for United when he received a pass from Goodrham and fired across goal with just under 20 minutes to go, but Boro came close to restoring their three-goal advantage when Azaz struck the post with a 20-yard effort.

The game at this point was frantic and stretched, and Idris El Mizouni bent an effort wide of the far post when he cut inside from the left and struck from 25 yards out.

Boro’s three-goal lead was restored though when Conway, on as a substitute for Latte Lath, netted from just outside the box.

Azaz secured his brace not long after when his lovely strike from 25 yards left Cumming grasping at thin air.

Oxford United (3-4-2-1): Cumming; Long, Moore (Placheta 52), Brown; ter Avest, Vaulks (El Mizouni 72), Brannagan (McEachran 72), Leigh; Rodrigues (Phillips 64), Goodrham; Harris (Scarlett 52).

Unused subs: Ingram, Dale, Ferdinan, Goodwin.

Booked: Moore.

Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Brynn; Ayling (Dijksteel 85), Edmundson, Clarke, Neto Borges; Barlaser, Howson; Doak (Forss 62), Azaz (Hamilton 85), Burgzorg (McGree 75); Latte Lath (Conway 62).

Unused subs: Glover, Fry, Jones, McCabe.

Booked: Azaz, Neto Borges.

Referee: Josh Smith (Lincolnshire)

Attendance: 11,442 (TBC visitors)